Children's Heart Clinic

This is a picture of a heart of a newborn.

So tiny in the hands of this surgeon, but this picture speaks volumes. The skill of the ultrasound technician to hopefully find the defect early, the expertise needed for the surgeon to operate, the knowledge of the professionals to assist, the care of the nurses to help heal, the strength and power of the family and children to comfort. And so, so much more.

How is this possible? How can a surgeon operate on something this small? How have we learned so much about this tiny organ. I'll tell you how.

RESEARCH.

Research in the area of Congenital Heart Defects has grown drastically over even just the last 10 years, and it's because of research that surgeons, doctors, researchers, and hospitals have been able to make the impact in the CHD world that has resulting in nearly a 20% survival increase in just the last 10-15 years.

Here at the CHD Coalition, we have granted more than $500,000 to research programs. And we've been able to do that because of our incredible fundraising efforts by amazing contributors such as yourself.

Please help us fundraise for CHD Research and join us for our Virtual CHD Walk for Hope by registering here: https://chdcoalition.org/what-we-do/walk

If you can't join this year, but would still like to make a donation (all of the proceeds of this event go to CHD Research), please click here and click on "Donate to this Event": https://events.chdcoalition.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=546

If you would like to learn more about the research projects we have helped fund through our half million dollars of past donations, please click here: https://chdcoalition.org/what-we-do/chd-research

We humbly thank you.

While many of us are still standing on the shore (hopefully in a save haven) waiting for the tsunami to arrive, others are already in the midst of the “warzone”.

With all the speculations about the spread of the virus one thing is clear: We will see many more severe and fatal cases.

In the current situation it is vital that we listen to those doctors who are already treating patients.

When the doctor becomes the patient
We need to keep health care professionals free of infection. The true number of medical professionals in Italy, which are infected has not been released but colleagues in Italy tell me there are many:

“It is increasingly more difficult to staff the hospitals. We are starting to recruit doctors which have never dealt with such patients”

They emphasize that: testing, self-protection and a high level of awareness for the COVID-19 are of great importance.

Especially patients with heart failure presenting with dyspnea could in reality have COVID-19 infection.

COVID-19 and the heart
While the SARS-CoV-2 virus primarily affects the lungs there are a significant number of patients where the heart is strongly involved. Colleagues report cases of acute left and right heart failure.

Looking at data from China myocardial damage and heart failure is quite frequently a cause of death (alone or in combination with respiratory failure).

The heart is involved in 40% of patients dying from COVID-19 infection. Source: Guan et al NEJM 2020 and Yang et al Lancet Resp. 2020
Many patients show an elevation of troponin levels, which indicates myocardial damage.

Viral myocarditis
We do not yet know if deterioration of heart failure is the result of viral myocarditis, a cytokine storm or simply a result of exacerbation of heart failure in patients with a pre-existing heart condition.

Viral myocarditis is a concern. Especially fulminate viral myocardits. Fulminate viral myocarditis with severe left- and right heart failure
A final thought:
Many countries are still a few weeks behind Italy, South Korea and China and this gives them the chance to learn from their experience. Those countries can still set actions to slow the rate of infection and to prepare for what might come.

It is incredible to see how quickly, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is spreading. But let us combat the virus by spreading our knowledge. I am convinced that our knowledge will eventually defeat COVID-19.

Hypertension and risk of COVID-19

Protect yourself everyone!!

Groundbreaking surgery in the field of Pediatric Cardiology!! Thank you Blalock, Taussig and Thomas

Approach to a newborn with a murmur general guidelines!

DID YOU KNOW?
About 1 in every 4 babies born with a heart defect has a critical congenital heart defect. Babies with a critical CHD need surgery or other procedures in the first year of life. Typically, these types of heart defects lead to low levels of oxygen in a newborn and may be identified using pulse oximetry screening at least 24 hours after birth.
Some babies born with a critical CHD appear healthy at first, and they may be sent home before their heart defect is detected. These babies are at risk of having serious complications within the first few days or weeks of life, and often require emergency care. Newborn screening is a tool that can identify some of these babies so they can receive prompt care and treatment. Timely care may prevent disability or death early in life.
Newborn screening for critical CHDs involves a simple bedside test called pulse oximetry. This test estimates the amount of oxygen in a baby’s blood. Screening is done when a baby is at least 24 hours of age, or as late as possible if the baby is to be discharged from the hospital before he or she is 24 hours of age.

Some good news to share today with you all 😊

Children's Heart Clinic wishes everyone a very Happy Diwali 🎉🎊 May we all get rid of the demons residing within and let the goodness prevail!!

Proud to have worked with the amazing team at Alder Hey Children's Hospital!!

Today is ❤️ Our Heart Centre here at Alder Hey performs over 500 procedures each year, many of them are life saving. Meet one of our many heart warriors Jess (second from the left), who was born with a congenital heart defect 💔 At 14, Jess had a stroke which turned her life around. She had a major operation in November 2017 to reduce the risk of heart failure and was fitted with a pacemaker. After a very bumpy road to recovery, Jess still managed to absolutely smash her GSCE’s and is now looking forward to going to University 👩‍🎓 What’s more, when Jess transitions in to adult care when she turns 18, she will still be able to have the same surgeons who have been with her every step of the way at Alder Hey 👨‍⚕️🏥 Jess said; “It’s been a real team effort to get me where I am today and I can’t thank them enough. Many of the cardiology staff, like Dr Gordon Gladman, have been with me since I was a little baby. It’s so reassuring to know that I will be seen by the same surgeons I already have an amazing relationship with when I transition. I’m currently learning to drive and looking forward to studying Sociology with Criminology at University and generally just enjoying life.”

Inauguration of the clinic!!